Special Forces Qualification Course Training Plan

$79.00

  • 7 Week, 6x day/week specifically for the Special Forces Qualification Course, especially Phase I
  • Includes specific ACFT work, as well as running and rucking assessments and work capacity efforts
  • Assessment-based plan will automatically scale to your initial fitness level
  • This training plan is one of the 250+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

This 7-week training plan is designed to train specifically for the Special Forces Qualification Course (Q-Course). This training plan is designed to be completed the 7 weeks directly before you report to the Q Course.. This is a intense plan and requires commitment to complete the plan

This training program deploys the assessment during Weeks 1, 4 and 7. The program uses your latest assessment event results for the follow-on progressions. In this way the program automatically “scales” to the incoming fitness of each individual athlete, and ensures that each athlete is pushed throughout the program.

This is Version 2 of the plan, updated in October 2022.

This training plan is primarily assessment-based, and focused on the assessments you’ll face at the Q-Course, including:

  • ACFT
  • 5 Mile Run
  • Max Rep Pull Ups
  • 12 Mile Ruck @ 45# + 10# dumbbell or rubber rifle

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

In addition to programming for these assessments, this training plan also trains general work capacity and chassis integrity (functional core), as well as land navigation.

Weeks 1, 4 and 7 in the plan are assessment weeks. Below is the training schedule for these Assessment Weeks:

  • Monday: ACFT Assessment
  • Tuesday: 5 Mile Run, Max Rep Pull Up, Rope Climb (pass/fail), Swim (pass/fail)
  • Wednesday: 8-Mile or 12 Mile Ruck Assessment
  • Thursday: ACFT Progression
  • Friday: Run, Pull Up Intervals
  • Saturday: 6-Mile Land Navigation Practice or Total Rest

Weeks 2, 3, 5 and 6 in the plan are progression weeks. Below is the training schedule for these Progression Weeks:

  • Monday: ACFT Progression
  • Tuesday: Ruck Intervals
  • Wednesday: Run & Pull Up Intervals
  • Thursday: ACFT Progression
  • Friday: Work Capacity/Chassis Integrity
  • Saturday: 6-Mile Land Navigation Practice or Total Rest

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

  • Stopwatch with a repeating countdown timer (Timex Ironman or smart phone will work)
  • Running area (track or other) with known 800m, 2 mile and 4 mile distances.
  • Ruck with 45# load
  • 10# dumbbell, sledge or rubber rifle
  • 10# and 20 or 25# Medicine Balls
  • Trap Bar and plates for dead lifts (ACFT)
  • 2x 45# Kettlebells or dumbbells for the ACFT
  • Pull Up Bar
  • Sled and load for the ACFT
  • 40# Sandbag for women, 60# sandbag for men

COMMON QUESTIONS

What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.

What if I can’t do the whole session?
If you don’t have enough time to complete the whole session, you can split the session into two.

If the session calls for 5x walking lunges, does that mean 5x walking lunges total or 5x each leg?
5x each leg, 10x total.

What if I can’t make the prescribed reps for the bodyweight exercises, or the prescribed interval times for runs?
Do your best, and be sure to do the total number of rounds, even if you can’t make the reps or the time. Don’t quit.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training? 
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.

How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.

Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.

More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com

 

DISCLAIMER
Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health. Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death. This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program. No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk. Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.

Required Equipment


  • Stopwatch with a repeating countdown timer (Timex Ironman or smart phone will work)

  • Running area (track or other) with known 800m, 2 mile and 4 mile distances.

  • Ruck with 45# load

  • 10# dumbbell, sledge or rubber rifle

  • 10# and 20 or 25# Medicine Balls

  • Trap Bar and plates for dead lifts (ACFT)

  • 2x 45# Kettlebells or dumbbells for the ACFT

  • Pull Up Bar

  • Sled and load for the ACFT

  • 40# Sandbag for women, 60# sandbag for men

Sample Training

Below is the First Week from this Training Plan:

MONDAY
SESSION 1
Obj: Assessment - ACFT No. 1

Warm up:

3 Rounds
8x Dead Lift @ 65/95#
4x Hand Release Push ups
4x 25m Shuttle
8x Sit Ups
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

Army Combat Fitness Test:

(1) Work Up to 3RM Dead Lift 

- Note - you have just 5 minutes, We'd recommend two 3 rep efforts working up, and then 1-2x 3RM attempts. Don't go heavier than 420 pounds.

*** Rest 2 Minutes

(2) Standing Power Throw @ 10# Medicine Ball

- Note - you have just 3 minutes for 1 practice throw, and 2 throws for distance. Your longest distance throw counts.

*** Rest 2 Minutes

(3) Max Hand Release Push ups in 2 Minutes

- Note - we assume you can rest in the bottom position as needed

*** Rest 2 Minutes

(4) Sprint-Drag-Carry for Time

- Note - Start from Prone and drag a 90 pound sled, and carry 45 pound kettlebells or dumbbells

*** Rest 2 Minutes

(5) Max Plank for Time

*** Rest 5 Minutes

(6) Run 2 Miles for Time

RECORD ALL SCORES

Comments:
See HERE for an official US Army Video showing the events and form. For the Sprint-Drag-Carry, different sources have different loads for the kettlebells to carry. Go with 45# or 20KG.

******************************

 

TUESDAY
SESSION 2
Obj: Run, Pull Up, Swim and Rope Climb Assessment

Warm Up:

4 Rounds
10x Air Squats
5x Hand Release Push ups
8x Sit Ups
Run 100m
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

Training

(1) Run 5 Miles for Time
Rest 10 Minutes

(2) Max Rep Pull Ups
Strict - no kipping.
Rest 5 Minutes

(3) 30ft Rope Climb
Pass/Fail Assessment
Move to pool ... 

(4) Swim 50m in Cammies
Pass/Fail Assessment

RECORD ALL SCORES

******************************

 

WEDNESDAY
SESSION 3
Obj: Ruck Assessment

Warm Up:

4 Rounds
10x Air Squats
5x Hand Release Push ups
8x Sit Ups
Run 100m
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch 

Training

(1) Ruck 8 Miles for Time @  45# ruck and carry a 10# sledge, dumbbell or rubber rifle. 

RECORD FINISH TIME

******************************

 

THURSDAY
SESSION 4
Obj: ACFT Progressions

Warm up:

5 Rounds
5x Squat
5x Squat Jump
2x Power Throw @ 10# Medicine Ball
4x 25m Shuttle
Instep Stretch

Training:

(1) 6 Rounds
1x Standing Power Throw @10# Medicine Ball
Slow walk to ball after each throw - Throw back to start.

(2) 6 Rounds
1x Standing Power Throw @ 20 or 25# Medicine Ball
Slow walk to ball after each throw - Throw back to start.
No 20 or 25# Medicine Ball? Substitute 1x Broad Jump holding 2x 10# dumbbells (1 in each hand). Rest 20-30 seconds between efforts.

(3) 2 Rounds
150m Shuttle Every 1:15

(4) 3 Rounds
Run 800m @ your "800m Interval Pace" using your SESSION 1 ACFT 2-Mile Run Time and the MTI Running Calculator
Rest 4 Minutes Between Effort

(5) 2 Rounds
HAM - Hip Mobility Drill

******************************

 

FRIDAY
SESSION 5
Obj: Run Intervals, Pull Ups

Warm Up:

4 Rounds
10x Air Squats
5x Hand Release Push ups
8x Sit Ups
Run 100m
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch 

Training

(1) 2 Rounds
Run 2 miles at your "2-Mile Interval Pace" using your Session 2, 5-Mile Run finish time and the MTI Running Calculator
Rest 10 Minutes between efforts

(2) 6 Rounds, every 75 seconds....
30% Max Rep Pull Ups from your SESSION 2, Max Rep Pull Up assessment

So, if you scored 15x pull ups on the assessment, 15 x .3 = 4.5 or 5 (round up). Set a repeating countdown timer to 75 seconds. On "go" complete 5 pull ups. Faster you finish, the more rest you bet before the next round. 

(3) 2 Rounds
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

******************************

 

SATURDAY
SESSION 6
Obj: Land Navigation

Training

(1) Land navigate 6 miles over rolling terrain with 3 objectives. Wear a 45# ruck and carry a 10# sledge, dumbbell or rubber rifle. 

4-Hour Time Limit.

Show More

1)  Mission Direct

Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance. 

To this end, MTI’s fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.

We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.

 

2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up

MTI’s programming is not “re-tread” bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We’ve built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.

The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.

Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.

Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.

Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.

 

3) The MTI Method

→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.

→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan “Lab Rats” at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming’s effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn’t.

→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.

→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.

 

4) Mission-Direct Research

MTI exists to “Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe.” To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI’s Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.

5) Field Proven

Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.

 

6) Programming Breadth

MTI’s library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.

Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.

 

7) Worldwide Influence

Our work is not limited to US Athletes.

We’ve developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.

Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.

On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI’s programming to prepare for mountain objectives.

 

8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness

MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe. 

This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety. 

Fitness is just one area of our work.

Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.

Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.

 

9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers

Since 2007 we’ve taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We’ve saved these individual Q&A’s and now thousands are archived on our site.

We’re not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn’t for everyone. If we can help, we’ll let you know. If we can’t, we’ll let you know that, too.

– Rob Shaul, Founder

 

All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

Then we publish the programming in the form of one of our plans or as part of our subscription daily training sessions for tactical and mountain athletes.
We don’t stop there – our daily programming is the “tip of the spear” for our programming evolution. We use these sessions to learn and make continuous improvement.

As we learn more and improve, we go back, and update the sport-specific training plans on the website. For example, we’re currently on Version 5 of our Ruck Based Selection Training Plan and Version 3 of our Dryland Ski Training Plan and Version 4 of our Big Game Back Country Hunting Training Plan.

We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

All that matters for us is outside performance, and we feel strongly that Our Stuff Works in the real world.

Here’s our guarantee:

1) Individual Training Plan Purchase:
If you purchase an individual training plan, follow it as prescribed before your season/event/pft/selection, and if you don’t feel you were physically ready for your season/event/pft/selection, and/or didn’t see dramatic improvements in your early season performance, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

2) Athlete’s Subscription
If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.

Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.

You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes’ mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.

If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website  or Mobile App →IOS and Android.

Do you have downloadable .pdf’s of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.

Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.

What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete’s Subscription?

  • Plan – Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
  • Packet – Like purchasing the DVD’s of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
  • Athlete’s Subscription – Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.

If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.

Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.

If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.

If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you’ll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.

What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming. You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

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